When it gets cold outside my garage door opener doesn't work. I've checked the tracks there's nothing visibly wrong, the door coil spring is good, the opener is only a year old. The door will go up only 6-8 inches and stop. It's like its reaching some resistance threshold and stoping. it will open after about 5 to 10 attempts, but I'm afraid going up and down only a short distance will eventually ruin the opener. My wife loses her mind when she needs to get to work but something silly like the garage door opener is delaying her by 3 or 4 minutes.

Any clues as to whats goin on? Obviously, the temperature is causing something to shift or something.

Hoover

02-13-2006, 08:52 AM

I bet the door is just a little out of wack.

I would disengage it from the opener and open and close it manually a few times, then see what happens.

dollar1

02-13-2006, 08:52 AM

Mine is old (20 years). It doesn't seem to close completely, thus when I try to open it again, it just buzzes and won't open. After I force it completely closed, it works.

Strictly temperature related. No problems in the summer.

????????????????

~back under rock~

Archie F. Swin

02-13-2006, 08:58 AM

I bet the door is just a little out of wack.

I would disengage it from the opener and open and close it manually a few times, then see what happens.

Great, then I would have a jacked up door and a slipped disc.
:harumph:

cron912

02-13-2006, 09:04 AM

First, do as Hoover suggested. Unhook the door from the opener and see if it moves freely. If your door has dual coil springs, see if the door sets/moves even while moving it (unhooked from opener). If not, the spring tensions should be adjusted until it does set/move evenly.

If you haven't done so already, you may want to grease the rollers, and also the chain (if chain driven) or rod (if a screw drive). I use white lithium grease, which can be purchased at most auto parts stores.

CrazyHorse

02-13-2006, 09:04 AM

As the ground gets cold your house will shift a bit. Often that can cause the door to rub, or hang up. Chances are, you have an adjustment knob on the opener. Turn up the power on the knob and it will likely be enough to open the door.

jspchief

02-13-2006, 09:05 AM

Great, then I would have a jacked up door and a slipped disc.
:harumph:A slipped disc? From a garage door? ROFL

Hoover

02-13-2006, 09:26 AM

A slipped disc? From a garage door? ROFL
I think we should start calling him Edna

Skip Towne

02-13-2006, 09:29 AM

How cold does it get in Wichita Falls?

Donger

02-13-2006, 09:29 AM

Probably two issues.

1. The cold temperatures are making the door bind somewhere.

2. The opener has a safety feature that makes it reverse when it senses the binding (i.e., in case it starts to hit a car, kid, etc., it reverses). I think law requires that all openers now have this feature.

I'd manually inspect the door travel and find out if/where it's binding and correct. If you can't see if/where it's binding, lube the entire door with white lithium grease.

Also, you can adjust the sensitivity of the reverse safety feature. There's probably a dial on the motor box that you can change. Check your manual.

Oh, I forgot this, but do you also have the 'light beam' reverse feature?

Skip Towne

02-13-2006, 09:32 AM

Probably two issues.

1. The cold temperatures are making the door bind somewhere.

2. The opener has a safety feature that makes it reverse when it senses the binding (i.e., in case it starts to hit a car, kid, etc., it reverses). I think law requires that all openers now have this feature.

I'd manually inspect the door travel and find out if/where it's binding and correct. If you can't see if/where it's binding, lube the entire door with white lithium grease.

Also, you can adjust the sensitivity of the reverse safety feature. There's probably a dial on the motor box that you can change. Check your manual.

Oh, I forgot this, but do you also have the 'light beam' reverse feature?
Or he could wait a month or so and the problem will take care of itself.

Archie F. Swin

02-13-2006, 11:08 AM

Probably two issues.

1. The cold temperatures are making the door bind somewhere.

2. The opener has a safety feature that makes it reverse when it senses the binding (i.e., in case it starts to hit a car, kid, etc., it reverses). I think law requires that all openers now have this feature.

I'd manually inspect the door travel and find out if/where it's binding and correct. If you can't see if/where it's binding, lube the entire door with white lithium grease.

Also, you can adjust the sensitivity of the reverse safety feature. There's probably a dial on the motor box that you can change. Check your manual.

Oh, I forgot this, but do you also have the 'light beam' reverse feature?

The problem is not getting it down...the problem is (Lord help me) getting it up.

Archie F. Swin

02-13-2006, 11:08 AM

How cold does it get in Wichita Falls?

We've had a couple of mornings in the 20s here of late

SPchief

02-13-2006, 11:10 AM

The problem is not getting it down...the problem is (Lord help me) getting it up.

Heh

Heh

He needs help getting it up.

Archie F. Swin

02-13-2006, 11:13 AM

Heh

Heh

He needs help getting it up.

Yeah, and it takes at least 3/4 horsepower to do so....gosh maybe even more! :hmmm:

SPchief

02-13-2006, 11:19 AM

Yeah, and it takes at least 3/4 horsepower to do so....gosh maybe even more! :hmmm: